DENVER — Nuggets starting shooting guard Gary Harris will undergo an MRI Friday to determine the severity of a right knee injury he suffered in the fourth quarter of Denver’s 120-113 win over the Detroit Pistons. X-rays performed Thursday night at Pepsi Center came back negative.
“It’s a little sore right now,” Harris said. “…I don’t know what it is. We’re going to figure it out and then just go from there.”
Harris went down awkwardly with a 6:23 remaining in regulation after finishing a dunk off a Nuggets’ fastbreak. The 23-year-old immediately clutched his right leg and stayed seated for a few minutes until he walked back to Denver’s bench under his own power. Harris stayed in the game to attempt a free-throw and then limped gingerly to the Nuggets’ locker room.
His status is up in the air for Saturday’s matchup in Memphis.
Harris was in good spirits afterward, laughing and joking with his teammates at his locker before exiting the arena.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with him,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “You never want to see any player get hurt but Gary’s such a big part of our team. He’s in decent spirits right now so hopefully tomorrow we’ll get some more good news.”
Harris scored 11 points on 5-7 shooting in 28 minutes before the injury. Without their two-guard, the Nuggets were able to stave off a 26-point Pistons’ comeback to win 120-113.
Harris is averaging a team-high 17.8 points and 35.0 minutes per game in his fourth season. Malone called Harris Denver’s “most complete basketball player” last week. In January, the Nuggets’ coach called his two-guard the Nuggets’ Most Valuable Player.
“Very concerned,” Paul Millsap said about Harris’ injury. “Gary’s been one of our most consistent guys this year. When he goes down like that we hold our breath especially going on this long road trip we need bodies we need everybody healthy.”
Denver sets out on a season-long seven-game road trip Friday which could very well determine if the Nuggets break their four-year postseason drought. Denver has won just 11 games away from Pepsi Center this season — the fewest of all potential playoff teams — but will need to register a few victories on the road to secure a playoff spot.
After Thursday’s slate of games, the Nuggets are tied for ninth in a jumbled Western Conference playoff picture and are one game back of both the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs for the seventh and eighth spots in the West.
“It was a scary fall,” Jamal Murray said. “You never want to see that happen. Hopefully, he’ll be back soon. I know he’s a tough guy.”
